After the Rain
by Lady Lucifer
Summary: ???
1. Pythagorean Theorem with a side of "Some...

  
Annie stared at the wall of the tour bus, ignoring her homework lying a foot from her.  
  
"Miss Annie, homework needs to be done before you can go anywhere, including the movies!"  
  
"Okay Molly, thanks!" Annie said, sighing heavily. 'I'll never get this Pythagorean Theorom' she  
thought, as Clu entered the bus.  
  
"Hey Annie! What's up?"  
  
"Just trying to get the Pythagorean Theorem. It's so confusing."  
  
"Oh, yeah. Was hard for me too at first. Here," Clu said, grabbing her paper with the theorem   
written on it," you never got the distance formula? No wonder!" He exclaimed, explaining it all  
to her.   
  
Suddenly, a light bulb went off in her mind. "I got it! Thank you so much Clu! I love you!!" she  
shouted gleefully, pulling Clu off her bunk and jumping up and down, forcing him to as well. She  
decided to get off the bus, not forgetting to hug Clu and thank him again.  
  
Annie jumped off the bus, landing right on Jack.  
  
"ANNIE!" He shouted, falling back onto the cement.   
  
"Sorry, Jack" she muttered, feeling stupid.  
  
"Where were you off to in such a hurry?"  
  
"Just to the movies."  
  
"Does mom know?"  
  
"She said I could do whatever, as long as homework was done and I was back to the bus by 6:30."  
  
"Do you want some company?"  
  
"Sure!"  
  
Jack was relieved. Maybe he'd finally have the guts to say it....  
  
***  
  
"Two for "Someone like you"." Jack said, handing the man the $20 and grabbing the tickets.  
  
He found Annie among the crowd, and grabbed her hand, leading her towards the theater. He felt  
the spark, but would it be enough to light the fire works?  
  
"Jack?"  
  
"Huh? Yeah, Annie?"  
  
"You seem distracted..."  
  
"Oh, well it's just that.."  
  
"Oh, you don't have to explain. If it's uncomfortable for you, then I don't want you to explain  
it, really."  
  
Jack sat in silence, then started to speak again, continuing where he'd left off. "See, Annie,   
it's just that I've had this crush on you since you came here, and I haven't really been able  
to say it, so I held it inside. Then I didnt think you'd like me back, so I held it inside even  
more. Today, when I woke up, I decided that I should tell you as soon as possible."  
  
Just then, the lights dimmed, and the movie began. He felt Annie shift in her seat. 'Oh no. I've  
scared her off forever' he thought.  
  
At the time, though, Annie was debating her next move. He'd made the first step-she knew she'd   
have to make the next. 'Kiss him? No....Grab his hand...I don't know...'She thought the second  
choice was the best, and reached out to grab Jack's hand. 


	2. Movies and Mystery

  
Jack sighed. 'So I didn't scare her away? YES!' He smiled to the large screen, with a larger-than  
-life image of Ashley Judd, and looked over at Annie's intrigued face, thinking about how much   
easier it would have been if he'd just come around earlier, told her sooner, gotten over the   
child-like games he'd played in the beginning, convincing himself that he was a bad brother to  
Fiona for liking the girl who was in her seat on the bus. But, he'd talked to Fi about it, and   
she convinced him to 'fess up. And here he was, smiling for the first time since Fi'd left.   
  
Annie looked over at him, gazing intently at the screen, but his mind wasn't on the movie, but   
far, far away. 'I wonder what he's thinking about? Why is he so distracted tonight?'  
  
Annie just stared, and Jack felt eyes upon him, and turned slowly to face Annie. Even in the dark,  
he saw her cheeks glow crimson, and a smile spread across his face. "It's okay, Annie. Had you   
looked at me 5 minutes earlier you would've caught me." He saw Annie breathe a sigh of relief.  
  
***  
  
Annie and Jack left the movie theater hand in hand. In the shadows, the darkened figure watched  
intently, as it had the entire time Annie had been with the Phillips'. Inside, it laughed. Every  
day, Annie drug Jack, or Clu, or Cary along on a mystery hunt, a hunt for voodoo witches, and   
tracking the unexplainable happenstance. Annie, proclaimed to be the new Fiona Phillips; Annie,   
the newest genius of the dumbfounding and stupidifying; Annie, the newest love of Jack. Did she  
know his past? Oh, what a secret to tell! Would he dare to tell Miss Perfection? Would he tell  
his perfect Annie, his little angel, his breakable rose? Only time would tell. The shadow laughed  
aloud. Lord knew it had all the time in the world to observe the human Armaggeddon. The destruction  
of one human soul, and anothers heart. All the time in the world....  
  
***  
  
"Jack? Annie?" Molly shouted.  
  
"Molly? Hey, they went to the movies."  
  
"Clu, is that you?"  
  
"Yep! In here!"  
  
Molly walked to the back of the tour bus, and saw Clu jammin' to his music, jumping around the   
bus. "CLU??"  
  
"Huh? oh, yeah, hey Molly. They said they were finished with homework, so you said they could   
leave. They should be back soon though."  
  
"Thanks Clu" Molly muttered, turning sharply. 'Just when I needed their help.'  



	3. Annie's Dream

  
Jack and Annie- they both have such a past together- they grew up, so young, as best friends. He'd been the reason  
she, poor, vulnerable Annie, didn't remember anything from that important past. For, if she had remembered,   
poor, vulnerable Annie would not be so vulnerable. Oh, no. Annie would know exactly, EXACTLY, why she felt   
eyes watching her that didn't belong to Jack. She would know the shadow, she would remember that missing link,   
that vital information from her past.And she would definetly not be so "Lovey-Dovey" with Jack Phillips.  
  
* **  
  
"Annie, what's wrong?" Jack asked, looking at the lost expression on Annie's face.  
  
"Hmm? Oh, nothing, Jack. I just...oh, it's silly. Forget I mentioned anything." Annie replied, mentally distancing  
herself, her heart, from Jack. She didn't know why, she didn't particularly WANT to be distant with him, but her  
heart felt as though it was breaking, and nothing had happened to break it.   
  
"No, what is it? Can I help?"  
  
'No you can't. No one can Jack.' Annie thought, but instead replied "I don't think so. I just...felt like someone was  
watching me. It was eery, sort of scary."  
  
"Oh. Okay then." Jack said, knowing what she'd meant. He glanced behind him, but saw nothing. 'I just wish she  
would remember...I don't think I can bring myself to telling her...It'd break her heart...'  
  
***  
  
Jack glanced at Annie expectantly, but she still slept on his shoulder as they neared Boston.   
  
"Jack? Hey, Jack? Come on over here!" Clu whispered to his friend from the back of the bus. Gently, Jack lifted Annie's head off his shoulder and moved away slowly. He watched her closely, but other than a few small twitches, she moved very little.   
  
"Clu? What's up?"   
  
"You gotta play this game! It rocks!"   
  
Inwardly, Jack had to laugh. Clu had nothing to worry about in his life, no shadows hanging over his shoulder, no gray clouds looming over his head; he was not swimming in this ocean of despair, knowing that at any point in time, a ghost that was thought to long be buried could suddenly rise and pull him under the deep dark waters. Clu did not know how it felt to drown in the memories of the past quite like Jack did.   
  
"Alright, Clu...One round."  
  
***  
  
'It doesn't matter how fast you run, Miss Annie, I'll always get you!' The voice shouted after her  
  
Still, Annie ran. She ran into the darkness, running from the darkness, with no light anywhere. It was pitch black all around.   
  
' Annie! Over here!' Came a voice. 'Follow the sound of my voice!' She knew the voice, but couldn't pinpoint it's owner. She thought hard as she ran to the voice, and remembered who's voice it was she was running to, and remembered who's voice she was running from.She was running to Clu, and away from Jack.  
  



	4. Wake Up Call

  
Annie sat up quickly, with sweat pouring down her face. She remembered her dream- oh what a horrible dream!!!  
She remembered, more importantly, the day she dreamt about. She and Jack had been playing tag with Fi, Carey and Clu. They were all so young! Jack had been "it" and Clu was at the safety spot (the place where, if standing there, you could not be tagged). He was trying to save her from being tagged. Clu always seemed to be around when she was in trouble. Just in time to rescue her. Annie smiled, just as Clu ran into the room.  
  
"Annie??"  
  
'Speak of the devil' Annie thought, smiling inside. "Yes, Clu?"  
  
"Are you okay?"   
  
"Why wouldn't I be?" Annie asked, trying not to laugh  
  
"I...I heard you scream...I was worried...." Clu trailed off  
  
"What time is it?" Annie wondered aloud, looking at the digital clock next to her. It was 1:00 am." Oh my god, Clu, what are you doin' up?"  
  
"I woke up when I heard you scream...I was worried."  
  
Annie smiled. "Come over here, goof!" She said, grabbing his arm and pulling him down next to her, forcing him to lie down next to her. In no time at all, they were snuggled close together, safe and sound in the unknowing arms of potential true love.  
  
***  
  
"Clu? Annie?" Jack said, entering Annie's room. He looked at the bed and saw them nestled together, and saw anger flash before his eyes. He turned swiftly and slammed the door. Annie turned, but didn't wake. Clu jumped up instinctively, and ran to the door. He stopped, and looked back at Annie, sleeping soundly, knowing he could never hurt her. He wished he could tell her what he knew, but he also knew that Jack would have to be the one. 'In due time, Annie, my love. In due time, you'll know it all. He'll come around.' And with that last thought, Clu opened the door and ran down stairs, ready for the confrontation with Jack. 


	5. Honesty

  
Jack paced around the living room, his face red with anger, and a fury Clu had never seen in his best friends eyes.  
  
"Jack? I think we should talk..."  
  
Jack laughed. "You think we should talk? Talk about what, Clu? How you betrayed me? How your trying to steal Annie away from me?"   
  
"Jack, You know I wouldn't do that."  
  
"Yes, you would. You've been trying to since we first met. You wanted her from day one. Admit it, Clu. You think you love her."  
  
"I don't think, I know, Jack." Clu whispered. But Jack still heard him.  
  
"I knew it! I knew you had a thing for her!" Jack exploded.  
  
"Excuse me!" Annie shouted. Both boys spun around. "You two are acting as if I have no choice in all this! This is so stupid! As if I have no choice in who I want or don't! Guess what, I do have a choice. And right now, I choose to forget you both!" She said, storming away angrily.  
  
"LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE!!" Jack screamed, running after Annie.   
  
" Annie, let me explain! You see, Clu said...."   
  
"SHUT UP!" She yelled, spinning around and pushing him to the floor. "I heard every word. EVERY WORD!" Jack looked away in dismay. "So don't you try to lie to me, Jack. Don't you dare! "  
  
Clu looked at Annie, and even though she didn't want to admit it, she could never be angry with him. She saw the sadness in his eyes, and realized he thought that she blamed him for all of this.   
  
"Come on, Clu. We're going back to bed." She said, taking his hand and gently guided him up the stairs, tossing an evil, angry glare at Jack.  
  
* * *  
  
"So does this mean you don't hate me?"  
  
"Yes, it does. I could never hate you!"  
  
"Really?" Clu asked hopefully  
  
"Yes." Annie replied, not yet wanting to admit she loved him.  
  
"That's great!"  
  
"It is? Why?"  
  
"Because I love you, and I'm glad you could never hate me! That means you'll always love me!" Clu smiled. "Unless, of course, you never loved me to begin with..."  
  
Instead of replying with words, Annie cut off Clu's train of thought by kissing him.  
  
* * *  
  
The shadow watched bitterly. 'My plans have failed again! Oh, but this will work just as well....' 


End file.
